Thursday, July 15, 2010

Polpharma Starogard has announced the arrival of four new players. The Polish team has signed the 23-year-old guard Karol Szpyrka (from Siarka Tarnobrzeg), the 25-year-old guard Kamil Chanas (from Anwil Wloclawek), the 27-year-old center Adam Metelski (who played during the last two seasons for AZS Koszalin) and the 25-year-old guard Adrian Mroczek (from Mosir Krosno)

More rumors involving Uros Tripkovic. The 23-year-old Serbian guard, who was on the radar of CSKA Moscow and even the New York Knicks, could be now a possible target of Real Madrid for the next season, according to the Serbian media. Tripkovic is still under contract by his team last season, DKV Joventut, but will leave the Spanish club after averaging 11.0 points and 2.1 rebounds per game in the last ACB league.

Anthony Carter will continue in the Denver Nuggets, as the franchise has officially announced. The veteran 35-year-old guard, in the team during the last four seasons, averaged 3.3 points and 3.0 assists in the last one. The Nuggets have also signed Shelden Williams. The 26-year-old center arrives after playing last season for the Boston Celtics, posting 3.7 points and 2.7 rebeounds per game.

TBB Trier has announced the arrival of Oliver Clay. The German team has signed the 22-year-old forward to a one-year contract. Clay arrives from the second team of Alba Berlin, in the Regionalliga, where he averaged 16.1 points and 6.9 rebounds per game during the last season.

The New Jersey Nets have announced officially the signing of Derrick Favors and Damion Jones. Favors, the 3rd overall pick of the last NBA draft, arrives to the Nets after averaging 12.4 points and 8.4 rebounds per game in his freshman year with the University of Georgia Tech. Jones, selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the 24th overall pick, and then traded to the Nets, posted 18.0 points and 10.3 rebounds in his senior year with the University of Texas.

Roger Grimau will continue in Regal Barcelona, at least, for another year. The Spanish team has decided to exercise the extension option of Roger Grimau's contract. The 31-year-old forward, in the team since 2003, averaged 5.2 points and 2.0 rebounds per game in the last ACB League.

Scavolini Pesaro has announced three signings in a row. The Italian club has landed the 23-year-old Serbian forward Nemanja Aleksandrov, a free agent after leaving Union Olimpija a couple of months ago, the 27-year-old American guard Andre Collins, who finished last season in Virtus Bologna, and the 25-year-old center Marco Cusin, from Vanoli Cremona.

Despite the announcement from the agency of Luke Jackson with Lottomatica Roma, the Italian club has denied any kind of interest for the 28-year-old American forward in a public statement. Jackson, who played last season for Carife Ferrara, was reported to have been signed to a one-year contract.

Wayne Chism will start his career as a professional in Turkey. The 22-year-old forward will play next season for Antalya. Chism arrives to the Turkish team after playing during the last four seasons for the University of Tennessee, averaging 12.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game in his senior year.

Aron Baynes will continue his career in EWE Baskets Oldenburg. The 23-year-old Australian center was released weeks ago by Lietuvos Rytas, and now the German team has signed him to a two-year contract. Baynes, member of the Australian national team, averaged 10.1 points and 4.5 rebounds per game in the last Baltic League.

According to the Russian media, Jamont Gordon could be announced soon as the new signing of CSKA Moscow. The 23-year-old American guard will leave Cibona after playing last season in the Croatian team. Gordon averaged 14.4 points and 4.6 assists per game in the last Adriatic League.

As expected, Javi Salgado is no longer player of Bizkaia Bilbao Basket after nine seasons. Both parts have decided to terminate the contract of the 29-year-old guard, born in Bilbao and captain of the team. Salgado, who will be signed by Lagun Aro GBC soon, averaged 6.7 points and 3.3 assists per game in the last ACB league.

Mike Batiste and Drew Nicholas will continue playing for Panathinaikos for, at least, two more years. Both American players agreed to a extension of their contract with the Greek team. Batiste, in Panathinaikos since 2004, was on the radar of Real Madrid, CSKA Moscow and Efes Pilsen during the last weeks. On the other hand, Nicholas arrived to Panathinaikos in 2008.

As expected, Lottomatica Roma has landed Luke Jackson. The Italian club has signed the 28-year-old forward to a one-year contract. Jackson arrives to Roma after playing last season for Carife Ferrara, where he averaged 15.1 points and 5.3 rebounds per game in the Lega A, where his team couldn't avoid the relegation.

BC Triumph has announced that six players won't continue in the team next season. Besides Vadim Panin, who is already a new player of Khimki, the Russian team has released the American guard Brion Rush, the American center Paul Miller, the center Aleksander Bashminov, the guard Pavel Sergeev and the forward Nikita Shalbalkin.

Igokea has announced the first two signings for the next two seasons. The Bosnian team has landed, as expected, the 26-year-old Montenegrin center Zarko Rakocevic, from Bosna Sarajevo. The other new acquisiton of Igokea is the 27-year-old Serbian guard Branko Mirkovic, who arrives from the Bulgarian club Lukoil Akademik.

Cimberio Varese is close to sign James Thomas for the next season. The 29-year-old American center is a free agent after being released by Banca Tercas Teramo last January. Varese is also looking for a point guard, and the main target is Teemu Rannikko, the 29-year-old Finnish guard who played last season for CB Granada, also on the radar of ViveMenorca.

Bennet Cantù has signed Marco Diviach to a three-year contract. The 22-year-old Italian guard is back to the Lega A after playing 3 games in the 2005-06 season for Fortitudo Bologna. Diviach has played during the last three seasons for Pentagruppo Ozzano, averaging 8.5 points and 4.4 rebounds per game in the last Serie A.

After reaching to an agrement with Ibrahim Jaaber, Armani Jeans Milano is already looking for new players. The Italian team is interested in the 27-year-old American guard Tim Bowers, who played last season for Pepsi Caserta, and in the 24-year-old Ukrainian center Oleksiy Pecherov, a free agent after his contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves expired. Maccabi Tel Aviv was reported to be close to sign Pecherov days ago.

Kolossos Rhodes has signed Pat Calathes for the next season. The 24-year-old American guard lands in his new team after playing during the last two years for Maroussi BC, where he has played since leaving the Saint Joseph's University. Last season, Calathes averaged 5.5 points and 2.8 rebounds per game in the Greek A1 League.

Pepsi Caserta is exploring the market for alternatives in case Tim Bowers doesn't extend his contract. One of them is Trey Johnson. The 25-year-old American guard, with experience in the NBA, played last season for Gravelines Dunkerque and the Bakersfield Jam, before landing in Angelico Biella, where Johnson averaged 11.5 points and 1.8 rebounds per game.

Robert Troha is no longer player of Cibona after two seasons in the Croatian champion. The 33-year-old guard is the new signing of Cedevita for the next season. Troha arrived in 2008 to Cibona from Helios Domzale, and averaged 2.7 points and 0.7 rebounds per game in the last Adriatic League.

Dimitris Tsaldaris keeps attracting the interest of several Italian teams. Besides Cimberio Varese and Air Avellino, Scavolini Pesaro has also the 30-year-old Greek guard on the radar for the next season. Tsaldaris finished last season in Sutor Montegranaro, averaging 7.8 points and 1.7 rebound per game in the Lega A.

Jerry Green, MVP of the 2006-07 BBL, is back to EnBW Ludwigsburg, wher he played from 2004 to 2007. The German team has announed the signing of the 30-year-old American guard. Green played last season in Italy for Pallacanestro Cantù, averaging 9.6 points and 2.6 rebounds per game in the Lega A.

Finally, Ibrahim Jaaber will continue his career in Armani Jeans Milano. The 26-year-old American-Bulgarian guard leaves Lottomatica Roma after two seasons to sign a two-year, $1.2 contract with another Euroleague Italian team. Jaaber averaged 12.7 points and 3.4 rebounds per game last season. Montepaschi Siena was also interested in signing Jaaber.

One of the best scorers of the last Ukrainian Super League could land in Budivelnik. The current runner up of the competition is close to sign Lamar Karim, who averaged 21.2 points, 5.4 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game last season for Dnipro-Azot. The 27-year-old American guard arrived last season to Ukraine after playing in several minor American leagues, Iceland, Switzerland and France.

As expected, Ludovic Vaty will play for CB Granada. The 21-year-old French center has exercised the early termination clause of his contract with Orleans to sign a three-year contract with the Spanish team. Vaty, one of the most interesting French prospects, averaged 8.2 points and 4.6 rebounds per game in the last LNB.

Spirou Charleroi has announced officially the arrival of Demond Mallet. The Belgian team has signed the 32-year-old American guard to a one-year contract, with an option to a second one. Mallet arrives to Charleroi after playing last season for Turk Telekom, averaging 10.4 points and 3.4 assists per game in the TBL.

Pinar Karsiyaka has landed another player. The Turkish team has signed Ulug Kaçaniku for the next season. The 25-year-old Kosovan-Turkish forward arrives to Pinar Karsiyaka after finishing last season in Darussafaka, averaging 5.8 points and 2.2 rebounds per game. Kaçaniku started the 2009-10 season in Kosovo playing for Sigal Prishtina.

Ibrahim Jaaber, currently playing in the NBA Summer League for the Los Angeles Lakers, could be close to sign a two-year, $1.2 million contract with an Italian team. The 26-year-old American-Bulgarian guard, who has played during the last two seasons for Lottomatica Roma, would land in Armani Jeans Milano or Montepaschi Siena. In the last Lega A, Jaaber averaged 12.7 points and 3.4 rebounds per game.

Dejan Borovnjak is considering several offers for the next season. The Serbian 24-year-old center is on the radar of Aris Thessaloniki, and several Italian clubs. Borovnjak is still under contract by Lietvuos Rytas until 2011, but last year was loaned to Panionios, where he averaged 6.3 points and 2.5 rebounds per game, and is not expected to go back to the Lithuanian team.

After not reaching to an agreement with Air Avellino, his former club, Devin Smith will be back to Turkey. The 29-year-old American forward is closing a deal with Besiktas Cola Turka for the next season. Smith, who played for Fenerbahce in the 2008-09 season, will arrive to the Turkish club from Panellinios, where he averaged 13.5 points and 5.2 rebounds per game in the last Greek A1 league.

Air Avellino is exploring several options for the power forward position. The Italian team was in talks with Herve Toure, under contract by Lottomatica Roma until 2011, but there are other candidates. The main one could be Mindaugas Katelynas, from Meridiano Alicante, who is also on the radar of Cajasol. Jan-Hendrik Jagla, from Asseco Prokom, is another option. On the other hand, Air Avellino is also looking for a guard, and Dimitris Tsaldaris, from Sutor Montenagraro, and Davor Kus, from Benetton Treviso, could be the main targets.

Carlos Suárez is in talks with Asefa Estudiantes to extend his contract, which expires in 2011. But the economic demands of the 24-year-old Spanish forward are blocking the deal, and other teams could be in the mix to negociate with Estudiantes to sign Suárez, like Unicaja, that would offer €1 million for the forward, and include a player in the transfer operation. Suárez averaged 11.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game in the last ACB league.

According to the Lithuanian media, Robertas Javtokas is the new player of Power Electronics Valencia. As expected, the Spanish team has signed the 30-year-old Lithuanian center to a two-year contract (the second one with a team option). Javtokas, who will play for the first time in the ACB League, averaged 8.7 points and 5.4 rebounds last game for his former team, Khimki, in the Russian Super League.

Romain Sato is close to make a decision about where to play next season. Despite the interest of the Dallas Mavericks to land him, the 29-year-old Central African Republic forward would choose between Real Madrid and Olympiakos. Sato would leave Montepaschi Siena after four seasons in the Italian team, averaging 14.9 points and 4.4 rebounds per game in the last Lega A.

Raja Bell is back to the Utah Jazz. The NBA franchise has reached to a three-year, $10 million agreement with the 33-year-old guard, who played from 2003 to 2005 for the Jazz. Bell, who turned down an offer from the Los Angeles Lakers, arrives to his new team after playing last year just six games due to an injury, being waived by the Golden State Warriors before the end of the season.

Osiris Eldridge will play next season for Pinar Karsiyaka. The 22-year-old American guard will play for the first time as a profesional for the Turkish team. Eldridge has played during the last four seasons for the University of Illinois State, averaging 15.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game in his senior year with the Redbirds.

Meridiano Alicante has almost given up to keep Mindaugas Katelynas and Pape Sow next season. The 27-year-old Lithuanian forward is close to sign a deal with Cajasol after one season in Alicante, while the 28-year-old Senegalese center, who landed in the Spanish team last January, could also leave the team for a better offer.

The possible comeback of Rudy Fernández to Europe is attracting the interest of the top European clubs. Olympiakos is also waiting for a possible departure of the 25-year-old Spanish guard from the Portland Trail Blazers, and will make an offer for Fernández to bring him to Greece. Panathinaikos, Real Madrid, Regal Barcelona and Caja Laboral are also on the mix to sign Fernández, if he decides to leave the NBA.